< Isaya 65 >
1 Nilikuwa tayari kuchaguliwa na wale ambao hawakuniomba; Nilikuwa tayari kupatikana kwa wale ambao hawakunitafuta. Nilisema, ''Niko hapa!' kwa taifa ambalo halikuita jina langu.
[This is what Yahweh said]: “I was ready to reply [to my people], but no one requested me [to help them]. I was ready to help [even] those who did not call out to me. I continued to say, ‘I am here [to help you]!’
2 Nimetawanya mikono yangu siku zote kuwasumbua watu wangu, wanao tembea katika njia isiyopasa, wanaotembea kwa kufuata mawazo yao wenyewe na mipango yao.
[It is as though] I have continually held out my arms [to show that I am ready to help] my people who rebel [against me], and who [continually] do the evil things that they want to do.
3 Kuna watu wanoendelea kunipinga mimi, wanatoa sadaka zao katika bustani, na kuchoma ubani juu ya matofali.
They boldly continue to do things that cause me to be angry: They offer sacrifices [to their idols] in their gardens, and they burn incense [to them] on [altars made of] bricks.
4 Wamekaa miongoni mwa makaburi na kuangalia usiku kucha, na hula nyama ya nguruwe na mchuzi mchafu wa nyama katika vyombo vyao.
They secretly remain awake at night in burial caves, [talking with the spirits of] ([dead people/their ancestors]). They eat the meat of pigs, and their pots are full of [other] meat that is [also] unacceptable to me.
5 Wanasema, 'Simama mbali, usisogee karibu na mimi, maana mimi ni mtakatifu zaidi yako.' Vitu hivi ni moshi katika pua zangu, moto uwakao mchana kutwa.
[Then] they say [to others], ‘Stay away from me; do not come near me, because I am very holy, [with the result that you should not touch me].’ People like that are [like] [MET] smoke in my nose [from] a fire that burns continually.
6 Tazama, imeandikwa mbele yangu: Sitanyamaza, Maana nitawalipa wao tena; nitafanya malipo yao katika miguu yao,
I have written [a record of all the evil things that they have done]. And I will not do nothing about all those things; I will certainly punish them
7 kwa sababu ya dhambi zao na dhambi za baba zao kwa pamoja.'' asema Yahwe. ''Nitawajibu wao kwa kuchoma ubani juu ya milima na kunifanyia mimi juu ya vilima. Hivyo basi nitapima juu ya matendo yao ya kale katika miguu yao.''
for the sins that they and their ancestors have committed. They have mocked/insulted me by burning incense [to their idols] on the hilltops. So I will punish them like they deserve for doing those things.”
8 Yahwe asema hivi, ''Ikiwa kama juisi itapatikana katika nguzo ya zabibu, wakati mmoja ataposema, 'Usihiaribu hiyo, maa kuna uzuri ndani yake; hichi ndicho nitakachokifanya kwa niaba ya watumishi wangu: Sitawaribu wao wote.
This is [also] what Yahweh said: “When there is a cluster of nice grapes on a vine, people do not throw them away, because they know that there is good juice in those grapes. Similarly, because there are some people [in Judah] who faithfully serve/worship me, I will not get rid of all of them.
9 Nitazileta koo kutoka kwa Yakobo, na kutoka Yuda wao ambao watairithi milima yangu. Niliowachagua watairithi aridhi, na watumishi wangu wataishi pale.
I will spare some of the descendants of Jacob who are living on the hills of Judah. I have chosen them, and they will possess that land; they will worship/serve me, and they will live there.
10 Sharoni itakuwa malisho ya makundi, na bonde la Akori itakuwa sehemu ya kupumzikia ya makundi yangu, kwa watu wangu wanaonitafuta mimi.
[Then all the land from the] Sharon [Plain near the Mediterranean Sea] and [as far east as] Achor Valley [near Jericho] will become pastureland where their cattle and sheep will rest.
11 Lakini yeye aliyeachana na Yehwe, anayeusahau mlima wangu mtakatifu, anayeandaa meza kwa bahati ya mungu, na kujaza kikombe cha mvinyo uliochanganywa na miungu inayoitwa Hatama.
But [it will be different] for you who have abandoned me, you who do not worship me on [Zion], my sacred hill, you who worship Gad and Meni, [the gods who you think will bring you] good luck and good fortune.
12 Nitaufikisha mwisho wenu kwa upanga, na wato mtainama chini kwa kuchinjwa, Kwa sababu nilipokuita wewe, haukuitikia; nilipozungumza haukunisikliza. lakini mlifanya yaliyo mabaya katika macho yangu na kuchagua kufanya yasiyo nipendeza mimi.''
[It is I, not Meni, who will decide/say what will happen to you]; you will all [be slaughtered by] swords. [That will happen] because you did not answer when I called out to you. I spoke to you, but you did not pay attention. Instead, you did things that I said are evil; you chose to do things that do not please me.
13 Bwana Yahwe asema hivi, ''Tazama, mtumishi atakula, lakini atashikwa na njaa; tazama mtumishi wangu atakunywa lakini atakuwa na kiu; tazama mtumishi wangu atashangilia, lakini atatiwa katika aibu.
I, Yahweh the Lord, will give to those who worship and obey me things to eat and drink, and they will be happy; but [all] you evil people will be hungry and thirsty, and you will be [sad and] disgraced.
14 Tazama, mtumishi wangu atapiga kelele za furaha kwa sababu ya furaha ya moyo, lakini utalia kwa sababu ya maumivu ya moyo, na mtapiga kelele kwa sababu ya kusagwa kwa roho zenu.
Those who worship and obey me will sing joyfully, but you [evil people] will wail loudly because you will be suffering in your inner beings.
15 Nanyi mtaliacha jina lenu nyuma kama laana kwa watu niliowachagua wazungumze; Mimi Bwana Yahwe, Nitakuwa wewe; Nitawaita watumishi wangu kwa jina lingine.
Those whom I have chosen will use your names when they curse people; [I], Yahweh the Lord, will get rid of you. But I will give to those who worship and obey me a new name [that they will use when they bless people].
16 Yeyote atakaye tamka baraka juu ya nchi atabarikiwa na mimi, Mungu wa kweli. Yeyote achukuae kiapo juu ya nchi anaapa na mimi, Mungu wa kweli, kwa sababu matatizo ya nyuma yatasaulika, maana yatafichwa machoni pangu.
The people in this land have had many troubles, but I will cause those troubles to occur no more. Therefore those who ask me to bless them and those who solemnly promise to do something should never forget that I am God, who faithfully [do what I promise to do].”
17 Maana tazama, Ninakaribia kuumba mbingu mpya na nchi mpya; na mambo ya kale hayatakumbukwa tena wala kufikiriwa katika akili.
“Note this: [Some day] I will create a new heaven and a new earth. [They will be very wonderful, with the result that] you will no longer think about all [the troubles] you had previously.
18 Lakini mtakuwa na furaha na kushangilia daima kwa nitakachokiumba. Tazama, Ninakaribia kuumba Yerusalemu mpya kama furaha na watu wake wenye furaha.
Be glad and always rejoice because of what I will do: Jerusalem will be a place where [people] rejoice; the people who live there will always be happy.
19 Nitafurahia juu ya Yerusalemu watu wangu; kuomboleza na kilio cha dhiki akitasikika tena ndani yake.
I will rejoice about Jerusalem, and I will be delighted with my people. [People] will no longer weep or cry because of being distressed.
20 Hakuna tena mtoto atakayeishi pale japo kwa siku chache; wala mzee kufa kabla ya mda wake. Yule atakayekufa katika umri wa miaka mia moja atachukuliwa kama mtu mdogo. Yeyote ambaye atashindwa kufikia umri wa miaka mia moja atachukuliwa kama laana.
No child will die when it is still an infant; all people will live until they are very old. [People will consider that] anyone who is 100 years old is still young; [they will consider that] anyone who dies who is younger than that has been cursed.
21 Watazijenga nyumba na kukaa huko, na watapanda mizabibu na kula matunda yake.
My people will build houses and [then] live in them. They will plant vineyards and then eat grapes from those vineyards.
22 Hawatajenga nyumba na wengine waishi humo; hawatapanda, na wengine wale; maana kama siku za miti zitakuwa siku za watu wangu. Watu wangu wataishi kikamilifu kwa kazi ya mikono yao.
As for the houses that they build, no one will [take those houses away from them and] live in them. No one will take a vineyard away from its owner. My chosen people will live a long time, like trees do, and they will enjoy what they have accomplished— [the houses that they have built and the crops that they have planted].
23 Hawatafanya kazi bure, wala kuzaa kwa kusikitishwa. Maana ni watoto wa waliobarikiwa na Yahwe, pamoj na koo zao.
They will not work hard in vain, and their children will not die from some (calamity/terrible thing happening to them). I will [certainly] bless their children and their grandchildren.
24 Kabla hawajaita, nitaitika; na wakati wanaendele kuzungumza, ntisikia. Mbwa mwitu na kondoo watachungwa pamoja, na simba atakula majani kama ng'ombe; lakini udongo utakuwa chakula cha nyoka.
Before they call to me [to help them], I will answer; I will answer their prayers while they are still praying [for me to do something for them].
25 Hawataumiza tena wala kuharibujuu ya mlima wangu mtakatifu,'' asema Yahwe.
No one will be harmed or injured anywhere on [Zion], my sacred hill: Wolves and lambs will eat grass together [peacefully]; lions will eat hay like oxen do, [and they will not attack people]. Snakes will [not hurt anyone; they will lie on the ground and] eat [only] dirt. [That is surely what it will be like because I], Yahweh, have said it.”